Council: Final thoughts before the election

Monday

Nov 7, 2016 at 12:01 AMNov 7, 2016 at 9:23 PM

Jessica Weston City Editor Jessica_Weston9

The Ridgecrest City Council offered up some final thoughts, comments and words of wisdom at their last meeting prior to today's election.Touching on the contentious campaign so far as well as the process in general, council took advantage of their council comment segment November 2 to weigh in one last time before the public votes.

Mayor Peggy Breeden said that whatever happens in the election, we are all going to have to work together afterward. “I think we all need to remember that we are one community. We are going to have to come together and be who were are,” she said.Mayor Pro Tem James Sanders said he was saddened by the tactics employed by some in the campaign and that the community is better than that. “We are a really, really great community and it just really saddens me to see even things slandered against my opponents,” he said.

(Comments by Breeden and Sanders were also reported on in a previous DI story.)

Vice Mayor Lori Acton urged everyone to be “soft on the people, hard on the issues. When we talk about issues we can agree to disagree. But at the end of the day, we all still live here in this community and we all see each other in the store.”

Acton spoke emotionally of unflattering rumors circulating about her in the current election. She noted that she attended a council meeting in a wheelchair one day after being released from the hospital for domestic violence treatment. “I came because I am dedicated to my community and I am not going to let anything stop me from loving my community or serving my community, whether that's a rumor or physical. Because I'm here.”

Breeden and Sanders are running for Mayor. Acton is running for council again. For a complete list of local candidates, see top of page A1.Councilman Eddie Thomas, who is not running for any office in today's election, said the public aspect of the job of the council may be harder than it looks.

“I wanted to say how proud I am of this council and how they have kept themselves positive throughout this campaign. I once sat out there and thought it was somewhat easy. But its not as easy as it appears when you take the shots. It affects you; it affects your family.” He thanked the current council for their support.

“We may have a new council and I just hope you understand its not as easy as it appears,” he said.